NORTHEAST
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Photo Credit: The Hotel at the University of Maryland
The meetings team at the 297-room Hotel at the University of Maryland in College Park are experts at helping planners make the most of the property's 43,000 square feet of flexible event space, as well as being ultra-responsive to a group's specific needs. For example, hosting a recent high-profile event for Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc., the staff established safety protocols and provided a special app to communicate with deaf and hearing-impaired attendees. Even before the meeting, the hotel's team members spent weeks in training sessions on how to appropriately support guests with hearing loss.
Whether helping to design digital meeting-room accouterments, booking spa appointments or creating meal plans that take in any and all attendee allergies, the staff at the hotel is clearly committed to helping planners achieve their goals.
In scenic Blue Bell, Pa., the entire staff at the Normandy Farm Hotel & Conference Center is eager to share their expertise with planners and attendees. The hotel's dedicated event managers, catering staff, technical support and housekeeping department have all been trained to offer top-notch customer service in event management, technical support, catering and more. After each event, a survey is sent to clients to gain feedback in an effort to continually progress and improve. Dating from the early 1800s, the 153-room property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
With 942 guest rooms and approximately 64,000 square feet of meeting space, the staff at the Resorts Casino Hotel on the Atlantic City Boardwalk has their work cut out for them — a job they well meet thanks to expert training and a comprehensive meetings infrastructure that includes enough event space to accommodate up to 1,350 guests, 24 meeting and function rooms (14 of which are flooded with natural light and feature ocean views), a 13,000-square-foot ballroom and more.
SOUTHEAST
Photo Credit: Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village
With an on-site meetings-support staff consisting of more than 200 experts in their respective fields, its no surprise that the 308-room Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village is one of those properties planners return to again and again. This smart, experienced team takes the time to understand the unique preferences of groups and individual attendees in the course of helping to devise programs that accomplish their stated goals.
Indeed, the resort's experts undergo comprehensive training programs that emphasize excellence in customer service, cultural competence and problem-solving skills. The net result: Guests and groups feel well taken care of, while planners feel the satisfaction of a successful event. Some 10 miles southwest of Fort Myers, Fla., the hotel has 50,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space that includes a conference center with an open-air terrace and marina views.
Fresh from a renovation of all 311 guest rooms, the Casa Marina Key West in Florida has justly been considered a favorite site for meetings since first opening on New Year's Eve in 1920. Welcoming groups of up to 500 with 11,000 square feet of indoor event space and fabulous outdoor areas such as a new 5,000-square-foot oceanfront lawn, the staff unfailingly scores points for its thoughtful attention to detail, whether helping to craft gala receptions in the iconic 3,100-square-foot Flagler Ballroom or vivid team-building exercises on the beach.
In the heart of Orlando's entertainment and meetings district, the 800-room Rosen Plaza has more than 60,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting and event space, including a grand ballroom and an additional 18 meeting rooms, all presided over by a staff with a staunch passion for guest-centered service. As one of the largest independent hotel companies in the Southeast, Rosen entrusts their associates to make immediate decisions, without any red tape, allowing planners and attendees to have their needs tended to in a timely fashion.
MIDWEST
Photo Credit: Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa
It's always a good sign when an entity in the hospitality business is able to retain key staff members for a long time, and at the Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa in Galena, Ill., much of the staff are incredibly skilled veterans. For example, executive chef Randy Hoppman began as a dishwasher at the resort some 40 years ago and today serves as executive chef, steering his culinary team to success for attendees and "regular" guests. Veteran senior catering sales manager Maggie Truppa has significantly enhanced the resort's service standards, while Abbi Porter, longtime manager of the Stonedrift Spa, often helps to organize on-site special events.
Eagle Ridge has 80 guest rooms at its inn and in more than 150 distinctive homes and villas located in the surrounding area. The 15,000 square feet of meeting space includes a beautiful ballroom and can accommodate up to 400 people in rounds or 600 theater style for most any kind of gathering.
A short walk from the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium and the Circle Centre Mall, the 352-room Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites is a favorite with planners in no small measure due to the excellence of its in-house events staff. These highly skilled representatives of the storied Hilton ethic of customer satisfaction help produce meetings and special gatherings across the hotel's 29,676 square feet of function space in 18 areas that include the stunning Victory Ballroom, stately Monument Hall and a diverse collection of smaller meeting and conference rooms.
Dedicated to providing exceptional service, from the concierge team to the meticulous catering and housekeeping staffs, the 334-room Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago is a Windy City favorite with planners. The hotel's 28,000 square feet of meeting space is spread among 13 adaptable spaces, while other attendee-friendly features include a fully equipped fitness center and a large outdoor recreation deck with hot tubs, fire pits and a running track. Steps away are all the attractions of Magnificent Mile, Michigan Avenue and Navy Pier.
SOUTHWEST
Photo Credit: JW Marriott Houston Downtown
Not just enthusiastic about their hotel, the associates at the JW Marriott Houston Downtown are fervent boosters of their home city, which translates to efforts such as taking part in local events that benefit worthy causes and curating just the right itinerary of citywide activities for attendees. The in-house staff even goes the extra mile to craft personalized menus tailored to group preferences and the occasion.
Within the landmark Samuel F. Carter skyscraper, which dates from 1910, the 328-room hotel is right in the heart of Houston, a short distance from the George R. Brown Convention Center, the Toyota Center and Minute Maid Park. Comprising the on-site 13,500 square feet of flexible meeting space is a variety of event rooms, including a ballroom able to host up to 500 people, along with eight breakout rooms. The Spa by JW is the perfect place to relax after the meeting.
The events team at the 367-room Marriott San Antonio Airport is just that — a team. These ultra-efficient professionals seamlessly work together to ensure that planners and attendees will get the most from utilizing any of the property's 13,378 square feet of meeting space, including 15 rooms for gatherings, the largest of which holds up to 300 people in rounds, and 19 breakout rooms. Conveniences include a free airport shuttle and a location convenient to the city's famed Riverwalk.
Attendees and planners alike tend to rave about the thoughtful support offered by the staff at the 1,002-room JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. The hotel's meetings team knows well how best to use the on-site 288,000 square feet of function space, including elegant ballrooms and lovely outdoor pavilions. They also can recommend how to take advantage of the six on-site restaurants, a luxurious spa as well as nearby attractions such as Six Flags Fiesta Texas, the Shops at La Cantera and SeaWorld.
FAR WEST
Photo Credit: DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Seattle Airport – Southcenter
Going the extra mile for attendees is the basic plan of action for the meetings-support crew at the 219-suite DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Seattle Airport – Southcenter. That means making an extra effort to provide superior service, whether helping groups find the perfect spot to gather among the property's varied event spaces, seeing to it that all special dietary requests are fully met in the hotel's dining outlets, keeping the coffee fresh outside the meeting rooms or ensuring that every inch of the hotel always remains fresh and clean.
The property's total 12,377 square feet of event space includes the 6,100-square-foot Northwest Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 450 people for a banquet or 800 for a reception. Three miles from its namesake airport, the hotel offers a free shuttle to nearby draws like the Kubota Garden and the Museum of Flight, while less than 20 minutes away is Downtown Seattle and its famed Pike Place Market.
Groups come to the 215-room Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach for the Coastal California vibes and gorgeous views, and they repeat their events with the resort because of the exceptional on-site staff and its commitment to friendly, efficient service. Meeting and incentive planners feel it from the beginning, too, with warm site visits and speedy email replies, while the on-site staff uses smart, effective communication connecting each department to provide seamless and unified service. The resort has 11,345-square-feet of event space, including a ballroom with a capacity of up to 650 people.
Tucked along the picturesque Embarcadero waterfront, the 821-room Hyatt Regency San Francisco offers an impressive 72,000 square feet of customizable meeting space, tended to by an impressive staff known for its strong engagement with groups, from the planning stages and on to the event itself. Whether helping with keynote speeches, breakout spaces, banquet halls or superior group dining options, the team here knows its stuff. Lucky attendees also get to enjoy local attractions such as the famous Ferry Building Marketplace overlooking the storied San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge.
INTERNATIONAL AND U.S. TERRITORIES
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Photo Credit: Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico
Excellent communication, a laser-like attention to detail and overall commitment to the highest ideals of hospitality help make the events staff at the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico such a standout. From the bell staff to the front desk, the restaurants, security, housekeeping, food service — the men and women who work in every part of the property are true partners with planners and attendees alike, striving to help fulfill a group's agenda, solve problems and make the meeting experience truly something special.
This AAA Four-Diamond property stretches across 72 acres of protected natural surroundings in the foothills of Puerto Rico's El Yunque rainforest. The hotel has 579 spacious rooms, suites and villas, along with more than 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space. Guests enjoy access to the TopGolf Swing Suite at The Sand Trap, where post-event fun takes place in four simulator bays.
With two swimming areas, a lagoon, waterfalls, a spa, great dining and all the excitement of an 11,200-square-foot casino, the 359-room Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa and Casino makes the best of its sun-splashed island setting. Likewise, the resort's attentive staff works with planners to make the best of some 28,003 square feet of event space, including fully equipped boardrooms and splashy ballrooms. Whether helping to support incentive trips, corporate getaways or executive retreats, the team here has but one ultimate goal: success for all involved.
With warm greetings, excellent communication and personalized service, the staff at the 151-room InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa works to ensure that every event held at the property runs smoothly and efficiently in the process of helping to realize attendee goals. This luxury resort in the town of Portsmouth features 8,475 square feet of indoor meeting space, including two ballrooms with outdoor terraces, plus approximately 12 acres of outdoor function space, along with a beautiful beach spanning 2,500 square feet.